Harness.



J. 0. ADAMS. HARNESS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1910.

Patented Sept 27; 1910.

JEFFERSON O. ADAMS, OF NEW IBERIA, LOUISIANA.

HARNESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2%, 11914).

Application filed April 4, 1910. Serial No. 553,275.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEFFERSON O. ADAMs, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Iberia, in the parish of Iberia and State of Louisiana,have invented new and useful Improvements in Harness, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to harness; and it contemplates theprovision in a harness, of convenient, durable and otherwiseadvantageous couplings for effecting connection between the dependingstraps of a harness saddle, on the one hand, and traces,breeching-straps and a belly strap, on the other, as well as foreffecting connection between the said harness elements and shafts orthills with a view of enabling a draft animal to back a vehicle whenoccasion demands.

With the foregoing in view, the invention in all of its details will befully understood from the following description and claim when the sameare read in connection with the drawings, accompanying and forming partof this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is aside elevation illustrating one of my novel couplings asthe same appears when in use, and also showing a portion of a shaft orthill as properly arranged relative to the coupling. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section taken in the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig.1, looking downward. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my novel coupling7901" 80.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of thedrawings, referring to which:

A is a harness saddle, having depending straps a, one of which is shownin Figs. 1 and 2.

B is a shaft or thill, having a hook b at its underside.

C is a strap designed to be connected with a breeching or rear portion(not shown) of a harness, and having a snap-hook c at its forward end.

D is a trace.

E is a belly strap having snap-hooks cl at its ends, one of which isshown, and F is one of my novel couplings.

The strap C and the trace D are of course duplicated at the oppositeside (not shown) of the harness, and two of my novel couplings F areemployed in each harness. The couplings, however, are identical inconstruction and therefore a detailed description of the one willsuffice to impart a definite understanding of both.

The coupling F shown comprises a stiff longitudinally-disposed body 6, aring f, preferably of metal, loosely mounted and permanently connectedat the rear end of the body, a buckle g permanently connected at theforward end of the body, a loop it connected to the body at anintermediate point in the length thereof and carrying a buckle cdesigned for the connection of the saddle strap a, and a ring 7',preferably of metal, loosely connected with the body 6. The body 6 ispreferably made up of the elements best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, viz: astrap in bent longitudinally upon itself and having a loop Z at itsforward end to receive the bar of the buckle g, a looped strap mcarrying the ring 7 and interposed and secured by rivets a between therear portions of the strap 70, a metal ring ;19 carrying thebefore-mentioned ring and interposed between the side portions of thestrap is; a tiller 0, of leather, interposed and secured by rivets sbetween the side portions of the strap is immediately in rear of the barof the buckle g, and a filler t interposed and secured by rivets abetween the side portions of the strap 7c and arranged within the ring79 and having for its oflice to hold the said ring 2) against undue playeither vertically or horizontally. The ring 2) carries on its lowerportion not only the metal ring j, but also the snap-hooks of thebreeching strap and the belly strap; and it will also be noticed in thisconnection that the breeching strap passes loosely outside the ring 7 atthe rear end of the body, which ring receives the trace T) which isconnected to the forward buckle g and may be continued forward of thesame and connected to either a breaststrap (not shown) or hames on acollar (also not shown). The ring is strongly, though loosely connectedwith the body 6 in the manner described, and it serves by receiving theshaft B and engaging the hook 7) thereof to enable a draft animalequipped with a harness constructed in accordance with my invention, toreadily back a vehicle when occasion demands.

/Vith a view of maintaining the forward portion of my novel couplingagainst sagging particularly when a breaststrap is connected with thecoupling, I prefer to suspend the said forward portion of the couplingfrom the saddle A through the medium of the means shown, viz: rings 41and to connected to the saddle A and the forward portion of thecoupling, respectively, and an adjustable suspension strap w directlyinterposed between and connected to the said rings. I do not desire,however, to be understood as confining myself to the said means or anyother means for suspending the forward portion of the coupling, inasmuchas the same is not essential to the practical use of my improvements.

It will be gathered from the foregoing that my novel coupling permits ofthe ready connection of the various elements described with the saddle,and also permits of the harness being expeditiously and easily connectedwith the shafts or t-hills of a vehicle and as readily disconnectedtherefrom when desired. It will also be gathered that the coupling as awhole is well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which harnessmembers are ordinarily subjected, and that because of the compactnessand neatness of its construction, it is calculated to enhance ratherthan detract from the finished appearance of a harness.

While I have shown and described one form of my invention, it is to beunderstood that I not limited to the details or the form or relativearrangement of parts disclosed, but that modifications may be madetherein without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters-Patent, is:

In a harness, a coupling comprising a longitudinal strap bent in thedirection of its length upon itself, a buckle having its bar disposed inthe loop at the forward end of said strap, a filler arranged between andriveted to the sides of said strap and located immediately in rear ofthe said bar of the buckle, a looped strap interposed and fastened byrivets between the rear portions of the first-named strap, a ringinterposed between the sides of the first-named strap and locatedintermediate the said filler and the looped strap, a filler arranged inand adapted to hold said ring against undue play and also arrangedbetween and fastened by rivets to the sides of the first-named strap, aring carried in the said looped strap, and a ring loosely mounted on thelower portion of the first-named ring and arranged at right anglesthereto for the purpose of receiving and cooperating with a shaft orthill.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JEFFERSON O. ADAMS. Witnesses: L. F. PELLEROW, V GEO. W. ADAMS.

